Resiliently-mounted ledger blade for lawn mowers



y 1930. c. A. GRATIOT 1,757,186

RESILIENTLY MOUNTED LEDGER BLADE FOR LAWN MOWERS Filed Dec. 15, 192'? g5 INVENTOR.

master gratwt- A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 6, 1930' UNITED STATES P ATENT OFFICE CHESTER A. GBATIOT.OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO EVERSHARPLAWNMOWER COMPANY, A. CORPORATION 01 NEVADA REESILIENTLY-MOUNTED LEDGERBLADE FOR LAWN MOWERS Application filed December 15, 1927. Serial No.240,196.

This invention relates to improvements in lawn mowers, and particularlto the stationary shearing ledger blade t ereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a lawn mower of simple andpractical construction in which the cutting knives of the revolving reelmay be maintained automatically in effective shearing contact with thelower stationary blade.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a lawn mowerhaving its ledger blade resiliently mounted to contact with the knivesof the cutting reel and which may be adjustable with relation thereto,to be yield ingly engaged with the cutting blades with a desired amountof pressure.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of novel meansfor regulating the 7 spring tension on the ledger blade.

Other objects and advantages of my inven tion, and objects relating todetails of construction and arrangement of parts thereof, will be fullyapparent in the course of the detailed description to follow.

The accompanying drawings illustrate by way of example a preferredembodiment of my invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a. fragmentary plan view of a lawn mower illustrating thedetails of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section on line 33 ofFig. 1.

Referring to said views, the reference numerals 1 indicate the oppositeside frames of a lawn mower embodying my invention and 2 the tractionwheels thereof mounted in said frames in the usual manner, said wheelshaving internal gear teeth 3 through which the usual pinions, not shown,are engaged to actuate a cutting reel 5 upon which spiral or othersuitable blades, as 6, are engaged.

The usual wooden roller 7 is adjustably mounted in the side frames 1whereby the elevation of the cutting reel relative to the grass to becut may be adjusted. 8 indicates a rod extending transversely of themachine in advance of the roller 7 which is rigidly secured at itsopposite ends in the side frames I having reduced threaded ends 10extending through apertures in the side frames and secured againstshoulders 11 by nuts 12. Said rod is secured against rotation by meansof keys 13. v

End brackets 15 are pivotally mounted on the rod 8 adjacent tlieframes1, and one or more similar brackets 16 are mounted in like manner on therod intermediate the end bracket. A stationary ledger blade 17 isrigidly connected to the respective brackets, through rivets 18extending through lugs 20 integral with the bracketsso that the bladewill be free to move ,pivotally about the rod 8 within limits set by alower fixed stop 21 on one of the frames 1 and an upper adjustable stop22 immediately thereabove, between which the respective end ofthe ledgerblade is received. 1 a

A slot 23 is formed in the respective frame 1 to receive a stud 25extending from the lug-.22 and which is screw threadedto receive a nut26 through which said stud may be rigidly fixed in adjustable positionto maintain the ledger blade at a desired height. Upon the oppositeframe 1 an inclined set screw 27 is mounted inspaced barrels 28, theupper of which is internally screw threaded to engage with the threadsof said screw. The lower end of said screw impinges 0n the extremity ofthe ledger blade 17 to adjustably limit its height, and to depress theextreme end of the ledger-blade suflicient- 1y to admit of the advanceends of the blades 6 striking slightly within the end of theledger-blade.

Inwardly of each of the brackets15 a nut 30 is rotatably mounted on therod 8 and is formed with its face adjacent the respective bracket withratchet teeth 31 between which a pin or lug 32 secured to the respectivebracket engages. A coil spring 33 is secured atone end to each of saidnuts, and its other end extends forwardly under the ledger blade, as at35, to yieldingly urge said blade upwardly against the lug 22 and theset screw 2 The inner portion of the spring 33 may bear against anenlarged central portion 36 of the rods 8. It will be evident that thespective notches 31 therewit lation to the pin 32 to eng one of the re-To aid in the "rotation of the nut it may be provided with squaredshoulders 37 for the ap lication of a monkey wrench or with a plura itof holes 38 within whicha spanner wrenc may be ap lied.

n operation the springs 33 are given a desired amount of tension by theaforesaid manipulation of the nuts which, through the engagement of thespring ends yieldingly press the stationary blade 17 upwardly againstthe lug 22 at one end and the set screw 27 at its other end. The lug 22is positioned desirably to admit of the front or cutting edge 17 of thelower knife engaging the cutting edges of the spiral blades 6. The

opposite end of the statlonary blade is desirably depressed slightlybelow the point of contact with the spiral blades b 1 suitablemanipulationiof the set screw 2;, so that the extreme advance ends ofthe spiral blades will pass freely over the stationary knife and thenengage the stationary blade within a shortdistance on an inclined plane,whence r in its contact alon the edge .of the .lower blade the spiralknives will slightl depress it against the yieldingpressure of t espring 35. An efiicient contact is thus insured between the revolvingknives and the stationary blade, aflording a uniform shearing actionthrough the length of the blades.

-.apparent,- that the structures shown arev merely illustrative and"that such changes may be made 'thereinas will lie the 1 of'theio11oying-1ai sg v avm 'inventiomy what I cl'aim,- is:" I 1 1. Ina' lawnmowe a revolv' tending transversely of the mower, means to.connectionlwitht g the advantagesfof the constructionand' ap- From theforegoing description, taken in e accompanying drawings,

lication of my improved resilientlymounted edger blades for lawnmowerswil-l be readily apparentgbut, while If-have described theprinciple ofoperation of the invention, to; gather with the deviceswhichI now-cons der 3. In a lawn mower, a rod 1n the side frames of themower, a -blade pivotally mounted on said rod, a coil'-? rin 1 ea'cabout each end of said rod, one end 0 of said springs .romlientlysupporting said blade, and a ratchet device .rotatably mounted on saidrod in which. the opposite ends of said springs are secured to vary thetension of the springs. I

4. In a lawn mower, a rod rigidly mounted in the side frames of themower, a blade pivotallymounted upon said rod, stops on said framelimiting the upward movement, of said blade, coil-springs about-each endof.

said rod, one end of each said spring resilient-' 1y supporting saidblade against said stops, a I 7 pm projecting laterall at each end ofsaid rod, and a nut rotata ly mountedat each end of said rod in whichthe o posite ends of said springs. are secured ormed with notches inwhich said pin may be adjustably engagid whereby the tension on saidsprings may. varied.

CHESTER A. GRATIOT.

the-best embodiment thereof, it will'be readily reel, apivotallyjmounted lower lajde ex.-

resiliently urge said blade towardfs'iaid' reel,

rection, and a setscrewat the, op

2. In a lawn mower, a mounted I Q i in the side frames of the mower ablade piv- 1 rod adjustable otally mounted. upon said stops on saidframe limiting the upward movement of said blade, coil-sprin tension onsaid springs.

about i said rod for resiliently. urging said blade against said stops,and means to "the

